Pallister calls for party unity and jokes about Kinew during PC annual meeting

FILE: Brian Pallister (Photo: Brian Pallister/ Facebook)

WINNIPEG — Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister called for unity when he addressed the Progressive Conservative’s annual general meeting on Saturday, while also taking a shot at the new Opposition leader.

Pallister, who has faced criticism for the amount of time he spends at his holiday home in Costa Rica, said that he and his wife have spent fewer days there this year than NDP leader Wab Kinew has spent in custody.

Pallister quickly added that he meant to say the amount of time Kinew has spent in caucus.

Kinew, who became NDP leader in September, faced two assault charges in 2003 that were stayed by the Crown.

The Progressive Conservative gathering comes after a tumultuous few months that saw slipping support and party division.

Pallister noted they’ve had some “strong disagreements” on important policy issues, but he urged party members to get the word out about the Conservative plan for health-care reform.

“To not change the system is to disadvantage Manitobans who need the services,” Pallister said.

“We can’t have a system that’s dead last in the country.”

Pallister announced last month that the province would not go ahead with its proposed health-care tax, despite what he says is a $2.2-billion gap in health funding by the federal government over the next decade.

But other changes have moved ahead this fall, including converting Winnipeg’s Victoria Hospital emergency department to an urgent care centre; closing urgent care at Misericordia Health Centre; and increasing volumes at St. Boniface, Grace and Health Sciences Centre emergency departments.

Pallister said the Opposition has put a “spin” on his plan and that negative press about it was untrue. He said Saturday that the changes are necessary to help the province and that the growing pains would eventually disappear.